Photovoltaic energy storage is lower than the benchmark electricity price

What are the benchmarks for PV and energy storage systems?

The benchmarks in this report are bottom-up cost estimates of all major inputs to PV and energy storage system (ESS) installations. Bottom-up costs are based on national averages and do not necessarily represent typical costs in all local markets.

Why did the PV cost benchmark rise in 2023?

The inflation-adjusted cost benchmark rose in 2023 for utility-scale PV systems but fell for residential PV systems owing to recent trends in network upgrade costs, Inflation Reduction Act manufacturing tax incentives, and other cost drivers.

Are residential PV systems cheaper than last year?

Compared to last year's report, modeled market prices for installed residential PV systems were 15% lower this year.

What are the 2022 PV and energy storage benchmarks?

These benchmarks are bottom-up cost estimates of all aspects of PV and energy storage system installations. Many of the trends that characterized the 2022 benchmarks—including high and volatile component prices and competition for limited supplies—appeared to lessen in 2023.

What is NREL's PV cost benchmarking work?

NREL analyzes the total costs associated with installing photovoltaic (PV) systems for residential rooftop, commercial rooftop, and utility-scale ground-mount systems. This work has grown to include cost models for solar-plus-storage systems. NREL's PV cost benchmarking work uses a bottom-up approach.

What is PV and storage cost modeling?

This year, we introduce a new PV and storage cost modeling approach. The PV System Cost Model (PVSCM) was developed by SETO and NREL to make the cost benchmarks simpler and more transparent, while expanding to cover components not previously benchmarked.